Applesauce Quick Bread

Though the main part of my food preservation season is winding down, there are still a few things left to do. [Like make Applesauce Quick Bread, which we’ll get to in just a moment!]

We have apple trees, but don’t get many apples from them, so it’s fortunate that we can find a lot of them locally. This time of year, apples are a very good buy, since a lot of seasonal places are looking to get rid of what they have before closing for the season. No fall is complete without a trip to our older daughter’s in the north country, so we can visit Burrville Cider Mill. Burrville is a pretty place, with a lovely waterfall out back, that once powered the mill, lots of apple varieties, and a nice little gift shop. The real reason we go though, is for the apple cider doughnuts – possibly the best thing I have ever eaten, especially when they are hot and fresh from the fryer. Definitely worth the extra work-out it takes to get rid of the calories.

So as not to appear to drive nearly 3 hours just for a couple of doughnuts [cause that’s just crazy, right?], we do always buy some apples too. And, there is the attraction of our daughter, her husband, and the grandkids to share the adventure with – well worth the trip, doughnuts, or no.

I had already bought apple nearby, so this new bunch will go mostly to applesauce. I posted my Homemade Applesauce recipe a few years ago, and if you don’t already know how to do that, by all means, Homemade Applesauce!

My favorite way to enjoy applesauce right now is with yogurt, for breakfast, but this Applesauce Quick Bread is right up there at the top of the list. You can leave out the raisins and nuts if you don’t like them, or sub in something else, like dried cranberries or pecans.

Preheat the oven to 370º and generously butter a 9 x 5 bread pan. It's a good idea to cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the pan sideways, and once it's pressed in the bottom of the pan, butter that too.

In a large bowl, stir the coconut oil and sugars until well blended.

Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat very well - you can use a hand mixer for this recipe, but I just use a wooden spoon.

Mix in the vanilla and applesauce.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl and whisk until uniformly combined.

Mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, until well combined.

Stir in the raisins and nuts.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and place on the center rack of the preheated oven.

Bake for 70 to 80 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out entirely clean. Any crumbs at all will mean the bread is underbaked. Turn the pan a few times during baking, and if the top gets too brown, cover loosely with foil.

Place the pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes, then loosen the sides with a butter knife or offset spatula, remove the bread from the pan, and cool to room temperature on the rack.

Slice and serve with butter, applesauce or a sprinkle of powdered sugar. This is really good toasted and buttered.

Store leftovers tightly wrapped - if keeping more than two days, it's a good idea to refrigerate it, and bring back to room temperature for serving.

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This is the perfect afternoon project, after-school snack or weekend make-along with the kids.